Frozen Melancholy
by TeamPlasma70
Summary: The sequel to "Meltdown Aftermath." A few years after their underground adventure, the herd began to have a happy life except for a certain sloth who continues to hide his melancholy from his herd until he met an old reptile to help him. Rated T for slight language. Diego/Sid *Possible slash*
1. The Old Guanlong

**This is sequel to the "Meltdown Aftermath" fanfic.**

**Blue Sky Studios own Ice Age and their characters.**

**(PS I own an OC in this story.)**

Chapter 1: The Old Guanlong

After a few years of the herd's underground adventure has passed, they were constantly enjoying their time with the young mammoth, except for a certain mammal. Sid was remote from the herd because he was trying to hide his melancholy that he was experiencing from the underground world. He remembered it happening to him inside Momma's cave.

=_**Flashback**_=

A few years ago, it was night and the sloth was inside Momma's cave thrashing in his sleep. Sid got up and walks towards to the back of the cave.

"Why? Why can't I be loved? I've done nothing but try respecting others and being their friend. And what did I get in return, nothing but hate and rejection from others!" Sid ranted loudly in the back of the cave about his horrible misfortunes.

The sloth stops for moment and looks to see if he didn't wake Momma or her kids. The sloth went back to ranting about his misfortunes, but it was loud enough to wake the t-rex to see the troubled mammal.

"Hey there, miss… I was-" He was cut off by the mother picking him up placing him near her kids.

"Thanks…" The sloth thanked the reptile.

=_**Reality**_=

"Maybe, I should tell them about… NO! I shouldn't…" Sid sadly stated.

"Not much of a bold mammal, are ya now?" An old voice replied.

"Who said that?" The sloth asked while looking around his surroundings.

"Right here, Sidney!" The voice said.

"Wha?" He said as he turned around to see an old reptile that about his size wearing a leafy cloak.

"Hi there!" The guanlong greeted.

"Hey, how do you…" He was cut off from the guanlongs reply.

"A wolf told me. And he said that you're the most troubled mammal he's ever met!" The guanlong stated.

"Oh, yeah… I like being with him, but Diego's always getting jealous every time when I get near him." The sloth stated.

"The saber you're living with?" He answered.

"Yeah… How'd you know?" He asked the reptile.

"Hmm hmm hmm… The wolf told me about your 'herd' and you're with 3 mammoths, 2 possums and a saber, am I right?" The guanlong stated as he smirked at the sloth's shock expression.

"Were you watching us?" Sid asked him.

"A little… I always come here from the Plates of Woe to Snow Valley to observe mammals." He explained as sat at the base of the tree.

"How? Buck destroyed the path to the Dinosaur World!" The sloth explained.

"Heh heh heh… If ya don't believe me, I happen to be a great jumper." The guanlong said and smirked at him.

"*snicker* You're the best jumper out of your pack? Please…" Sid asked while he laughs in disbelief.

"You'll see… come…" The guanlong said as he gets up and led the sloth into the clearing.

Both creatures went into the clearing and they both came to a halt.

"So what are you showing me, gramps?" Sid asked the guanlong.

"You think I'm wrong sloth?" The old reptile said as he grins darkly at him.

"Of course, there's no way a carnivorous dino like you can jump a huge gap in the cave to the Dino World." He said while smirking at the dino.

"Well then, watch this... RRRAAAHHH!" The guanlong said as he runs from the sloth and jumped from the ground and onto the branch.

"Wh-Wh-What in the world…?" The sloth said speechless at the guanlong's amazing jump.

"Kyahahahaha! I take it you're amazed by my robust leap?" The reptile teased the mammal.

"Much! Does any of your kind do the same jump you do?" The sloth asked as walked to the tree where the reptile is on.

"Not really… I'm the only one who does this sort of thing." He answered.

"Wow!" The sloth stated.

"I see you're close friends with the wolf and you might even my granddaughter, Sidney." He stated.

"Yeah, so what are their names?" Sid asked him.

"You met the wolf, so you ask him if you see him. And my granddaughter… well… she's my adoptive grandchild, so I can't tell you her name either." He stated again.

"You're just the wolf, being all mysterious and what not. And what's your name, gramps?" The sloth stated slightly upset.

"Like the wolf, I can't you… Maybe, just wait a few years then I'll tell you." He replied.

"Are you going to live another few years, gramps?" Sid asked him.

"Heh heh heh… I'm still a long living dino… In a lot more years, I'll be gone depending how long I have to live." The guanlong replied.

"That kinda sound's like my grandmother." The sloth said.

"Sid!" Diego called out from far away.

"Uncle Sid!" Peaches called out also.

"Oops! I was away from them for so long!" Sid said as he heard his friends' calls.

"Well, you should get home then and tell them your plight." The guanlong said as jumped down from the tree and walked off.

"Did the wolf tell you my…" He was cut off from the reptile response.

"Yes… Adios, sloth." He said as he walks into the woods.

"Yeah… See ya, gramps." He said as he waves at the guanlong.

"Uncle Sid!" Peaches shouted as she tackles the sloth.

"Oh, hey Peaches." The sloth said as he turns and pets the young mammoth on her head.

"Out on your long walks again, Sid? That's the tenth time we've had to look for you!" The saber replied.

"What? I love taking long walks!" The sloth replied.

"Sid, the last time we found you were sleeping at a tree, relaxing at the forest clearing and all the other places you've dawdling at." Diego explained.

"Would you guys stop worrying? I'm fine on my own walks, thank you." Sid replied to the saber.

"What about Peaches? She doesn't know what to do if you went missing." The saber explained.

"It's true." Peaches shortly replied.

"Sorry, Peaches… At least Manny doesn't panic easily, right?" He asked the young mammoth.

"Uh… Actually Uncle Sid, Mom and Dad was searching high and low for you every time you 'vanish'." The young mammoth stated.

"Oh… Never mind then. So, shall we get going?" The sloth stated.

"Oh yeah, let's go back." She said as she walks with the sloth.

"_I don't know, but I find it very odd for Sid to have very long walks_." Diego pondered as he follows Sid and Peaches back to the herd.

**Sid met an old dino and the reptile knows much about Sid and his herd. Who is he? And why does the sloth kept meeting mysterious animals? Also, Diego is getting even more suspicious about Sid's odd behavior.**

**Please review.**


	2. Sloth and Reptile

**This is part 2 of this sequel.**

**Blue Sky Studios owns Ice Age and their characters.**

Chapter 2: Sloth and Reptile

A few miles later; Diego, Sid and Peaches finally reached the valley and the herd.

"Hey Manny!" Sid greeted the bull.

"Don't 'hey' me, Sid! Where have you been?!" Manny demanded.

"Oh… I was on my casual routines like always." The sloth replied.

"Uh, Sid? You've been doing that for long, about a few weeks or so?" Diego asked him.

"Why do you want to know?" He asked the saber.

"Well, it's maybe because I don't know; it feels like you're avoiding us." He stated.

"I'm not avoiding you guys! I was going on my daily routines." He explained.

"Every day until sundown?" The saber replied.

"Pretty much… yeah…" He sheepishly said.

"Try to take your walks more seriously, OK?" The bull told him.

"Relax dear; it's a good exercise for Sid." Ellie reassured him.

"Uh, Ellie… What if he didn't come back from his walks?" Manny asked her.

"Manny, please… Sid knows what he's doing, right?" She said as she looks at the sloth.

"Of course, now if you guys don't mind, I'll be going back to my daily routines now." Sid stated as he walks away from the herd.

"Uh… Shouldn't we stop him?" Diego asked.

"No, I don't think we shouldn't." The bull answered him.

"Well… OK… I was just- Hey, where are those idiotic duo." He asked.

"They're still sawing logs in the tree." The shemoth replied about her brothers.

"Almost nothing can wake them. Almost." Peaches stated.

Meanwhile in the remote part of the woods, Sid was continuing his daily routine. As he travels deeper into the woods, the sloth decided to rest at one of the tree's base.

"I'm tired… It's bad enough having to avoid the herd like this but what can I do?" Sid stated.

"Try telling the truth, that should ya." An old voice said near him.

"Huh? Aah! When did you…" The sloth said before going into silence.

"Surprised to see me I see. You're quite lenient for a mammal, you know." The old guanlong stated.

"That doesn't answer my-" He was cut off from the reptile's reply.

"I'm always in these woods to examine others mammals living here." He explained.

"Oh… OK…" He said sadly before going into silence again.

"What's wrong, sloth? Aren't you happy with your herd?" The old reptile asked him.

Sid said nothing but stared into the sky with a gloomy expression on his face.

"Or you couldn't bring yourself to tell your 'family' the truth?" He asked the second time.

"The second question you asked just now…" Sid shortly answered.

"Oh, I see…" He shortly replied.

"See what? I was to hoping to see them sometime later in a few years maybe." The sloth replied.

"Ya sure now…?" He asks him.

"I'm sure… At least I'm fine with the way I live." He stated.

"_Poor mammal… it's a shame I heard from my future grandson-in-law that he's experiencing some long-term sadness when he was young_." The old guanlong stated in his thoughts while feeling sympathetic to the sloth.

"Sid!" Diego called out from far away.

"Your saber friend is here, Sidney." The old reptile said.

"Oh, that must be Diego looking for me again." Sid said with a slight smile on his face.

"You're close to that saber aren't ya." He smirked at him.

"Well… I'm not _that_ close…" He said as he blushes.

"OK then… I'll be seeing ya, sloth." He said as he walks off deeper into the woods.

"Yeah… see ya, gramps." He said while still thinking about what he said about the saber.

"Hey, Sid!" Diego greeted him.

"Uh… hey." The sloth greeted back quietly.

"Something wrong, Sid?" The saber asks about Sid's strange behavior.

"Uh… No… Nothing's wrong, Diego. I was wondering…" Sid questions the saber.

"Yes, what is it?" He asks as he sat down.

"Are you close to me? Like say, best friends?" He asked while feeling uncomfortable.

"Close? We're not close friends, just 'friends'." He answered him.

"Oh… OK…" He replied shortly.

"Care to tell me why'd you ask something like that?" He asked the sloth while getting suspicious.

"Just a random question… heh heh…" He said as he chuckles nervously.

"Is that wolf back again?" He asked as sees through the sloth's lie in anger.

"What wolf? I haven't seen him." He replied.

"Don't lie because I know that mutt is here somewhere!" He yelled at the sloth who is now terrified.

"I haven't seen him since on Half Peak and after the flood!" He honestly answered him.

"Oh… sorry…" He apologized.

"I don't know why you're so jealous of the wolf, Diego." He added.

"I don't feel jealousy, Sid." He replied as he moves in close to the sloth.

"Um, Diego… You're too close…" He as shoves the saber away from him.

"Why'd you do that?" He said playfully.

"I like to have my personal space." He replied.

"OK… I was wondering you smell odd." He said as he backs away from the sloth.

"How odd?" He asked him.

"You smell like a reptile…" He replied.

Sid went silent as the saber looks at him once more.

"Maybe, it's just my imagination." Diego said as he drops the subject.

"Are you sure we can't be close, like brothers?" Sid asked him.

"No… You know, you're really starting to annoy me with that question." He said in annoyance.

"I wish that wolf was here now…" He sadly said to himself.

"What was that?" The saber said as he heard the sloth's statement.

"Nothing..." He lies again.

"What the hell is his problem?" He asked himself as he walks away from him.

"*sigh* I was hoping that saber to open up to me…" He sadly said to himself.

Suddenly, the sloth had a headache and it was severe. The headache stopped for now.

"What was that about?" The sloth asks himself about his headache as he walks out of the woods.

The sloth was in the clearing and looks at the sky.

"The sky is beautiful… I wonder if could fly high in the sky… *snicker* Just kidding…" He joked to himself.

He looks away from the sky and walks on home back to valley.

"You can't hide it forever, Sid. You're gonna have to tell them sooner or later." The old reptile said as he left in the opposite direction of the sloth.

**Sid tries to be close to Diego. He suddenly had an odd headache. What's happening to our sloth? Is he going to tell the herd or wait or are they going to find out themselves?**

**Please review.**


	3. Waiting for the Right Moment

**This is the final part of the sequel.**

**Blue Sky Studios own Ice Age and their characters.**

Epilogue: Waiting for the Right Moment

Sid reached the valley and he started have a headache again. He starts to stagger with every step because of it. He leaned against a rock wall and sat down in the snow.

"Why does my head hurt so much?" Sid exclaimed as he held his head in agony.

"Are you OK, Sid?" Diego said as walks over to his friend.

"I'm fine… I think my headache just stopped now." He replied as his headache gradually disappears.

"Are you sick?" He asks again.

"I think I'm coming down with something." He said to the saber.

"You don't have a fever that's for sure." He said as places his paw on the sloth's head.

"OK… Where's everyone?" He asked him.

"They're in the cave because it's about to storm." He explained as looks up at the sky to see the dark clouds covering clear areas of the sky.

"Oh… I'll be heading home then." The sloth said as he gets up and walks to his cave.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay with us?" The saber asked him in a concerned tone.

"No… I'll be alright." He said as kept on walking to his cave.

Sid went inside his cave and watched Diego walked by his home and into the herd's cave before the storm hits.

"Maybe, I'll tell him after the storm." He said as he leans near the entrance of his cave.

A few minutes later, the falling really hard and the loud sound of thunder woke the sleeping sloth.

"*groan* I can't sleep with this storm going on like this!" Sid said as moves to the back of his cave.

After a few hours has pass, the storm subsided for now and the clouds still covered the sky. Sid came out of his cave and stares at the orange clouds as sun starts to set.

"Wow… Even the clouds look beautiful during the sunset." The sloth said while admiring the clouds.

He walks into the valley to see Diego resting by the tree. Sid feels nervous about telling the saber about him.

"Okay… here goes!" Sid said as walks up to the saber.

"Hey Sid." Diego greeted the sloth.

"Hey… It's a nice sunset even when it's cloudy, right?" He asks while admiring the clouds.

"It is…" He shortly replied.

The sloth wanted to say more but he'll get on the carnivore's nerves if he asks his questions nonstop.

"Well… I'll just go now." He said as he was about to leaves but the saber stops him.

"That's it? You don't have anything else to say?" He asked the sloth.

"Not really…" He answered.

"That's not like you at all. In fact, you've acting odd around us for quite some time now." He explained while getting suspicious.

"Like how exactly?" He questioned him.

"For starters; you've been quiet mostly, you kept your distance from us and above all it feels like you're avoiding us." He explained.

"Oh… I was hoping when you were to ask that… You see I was hoping to see if I could be normal…" He nervously replied.

"Normal? Have you seen yourself lately?" The saber replied as he stifles a laugh.

"_I knew that the wrong response… But at least it was worth it_." The sloth said in his admitting his mistake with a slight smile on his face.

"OK, sloth… What's really going on here?" He asked in a serious tone.

"What? It's either what I said or you and I could just hang together until nightfall." He gleefully replied to the saber.

"You want us to hang together until nightfall?" He asked in a sarcastic tone.

"Yeah, it's just the two of us!" He stated.

"Hmm… Let's see… Oh, I know the answer! No!" He coldly replied.

"Yeah, that figures but… Please! It's just for one night!" He pleaded with a cute look on his face.

"I SAID NO! NOW BEAT IT!" He bellowed.

"You're really mean, you know that?" He sternly told the ticked off tiger.

"Look, just go away… You're just… REALLY annoying! So back off already." He said while calming down.

"OK… *clears throat* If you to hang out, you could…" He was cut off from a murderous glare the saber shot at him.

"On second thought… Maybe, I should leave you alone now…" The sloth said as he nervously goes back to his cave.

Sid went back to his cave in disappointment because of his failed attempt to be close to the saber.

"Well, that was a crappy performance I just did… Maybe, Diego is better off without me bothering him for tonight." He said in defeat.

"Sid?" A familiar voice said in vicinity.

"Huh? Oh, hey Diego…" The sloth answered shortly.

"Look, I want to apologize for the way I've been acting. If you want, we could go for a walk right now." The saber told him.

"OK, sure." He shortly answered again as he walks out of the cave and starts walking with saber.

The mammals walked into the woods while it was dark. The sloth felt uncomfortable as he accidently walked too close the carnivore. Diego shot a confused look at Sid as he walks ahead of the saber really quickly. He caught up with his nervous friend and looks at him with bewilderment.

"Hey, Sid… Are you feeling OK?" Diego asks the nervous sloth.

"I'm fine… I'm just glad I get to hang with you." Sid answered him.

"OK…" He shortly spoke.

"It's quite nice to be on a fine walk like this." The sloth started after a short silence.

"Yeah… it is…" The saber shortly replied.

"What's wrong, Diego? Don't you like hanging out with your friends?" He asked, curious about the carnivore's behavior.

"Others friends other than you." He said while irritated as he stopped walking and so did the sloth.

"Maybe, this was a bad idea. If that wolf was here, he and I would always spend time together." He mutters to himself in disappointment.

"I beg your pardon, sloth?" He asked as he overheard the sloth's quiet tone.

"I didn't say anything." He lied.

"Really now?" He asked nonchalantly.

"Of course, I'm just fine on a walk like this." He said still trying to cover his lie.

"I agree with you… NOT!" He said as changed from calm and cool to mean and violent.

"_Crud… I thought he wasn't going to catch on!_" He thought as nervously stares at the saber.

"What did you really say, Sid?" He demanded with a dark tone.

"I… I…" He responded while speechless.

"Well, what?" He said while getting irritated.

"I said I wish you and I could be more like brothers and instead of friend." He said quickly.

"That's all you have to say?" He asked while confused.

"Yeah… so..." The gestured the saber.

"Uh… no… not happening…" The saber rejected his offer.

"Why not? I mean you and I could enjoy each other's company whenever." He stated to the solemn saber.

"I said no and the reason why is because I don't like hanging around a dimwitted smelly sloth like you. I like being alone where it's quiet with no interruptions." He explained.

"Like the woods?" He replied.

"Yes, Sid, like the woods or cave or anyplace that's quiet." He answered as he turns around and walks away from the sloth.

"OK… See ya…" He said to the saber as turns around and walks off into the woods.

"Where are you going?" Diego said as he turns his head to see the sloth walking deeper into the woods.

"Me? I'm just going to explore the woods some more. You should get back to the others. I might be back until or before morning." Sid answered him as he continues walking off into the forest.

After hearing what the sloth said, Diego felt a little bit of guilt welling up inside of him.

"Maybe, I should stay with for a little bit longer." He said.

"Something wrong?" He asked baffled.

"Well… it's true that you and I haven't been hanging out lately so, I was wondering if you're with me staying with you." He stated while blushing.

"You mean it?" He asked again.

"Uh… sure… As long as you're OK with it." He said as he turns away from the sloth.

"It's fine…" He shortly replied to the saber as he walks into woods and the saber follows him.

The duo walked in the woods admiring the moon that is covered my transparent clouds. Sid couldn't help but smile drearily at the moon which got Diego suspicious and concerned about the sloth's behavior.

"Uh, Sid? Are you feeling alright?" The smilodon asked him.

"Huh? Oh yeah, I'm just looking at the moon. It looks wonderful." The sloth answered.

"OK…" He shortly replied.

"Diego… there's something I have to tell you." He said sheepishly.

"What is it?" He said waiting for an answer.

"I sorta have these feelings about someone…" He admitted.

"To whom you feelings to?" He asked while confused.

"Well, it's about the wolf… He's almost like a brother to me." He confessed again.

"Oh…him…" He replied in a bitter tone as he remembers the wolf.

"I know you don't like but he's gentle and nice once you get to know him." He said trying to calm down the saber.

"Who do you think is better, Sid? Me or him?" He quizzed the sloth.

"Um, Diego? I… I don't want to choose." He replied sadly.

"Just choose…" He urged the sloth in a calm tone.

"Both…" He answered while rubbing his arm.

"It has to be one choice, Sid." He stated.

"OK, it's you…" He said as he blushes.

After saying that, Sid heard some snickering nearby.

"Did you hear that?" He asked him.

"It's probably those possum miscreants spying on us." He retorted slightly.

"Oh…" He said in a nervous tone.

"You like me better than the wolf?" The saber asked.

"Yeah, but I still like the wolf too." He replied back to him.

"OK, OK, I won't ask anymore. Let's go back to the others." Diego said as he turns around and walks away.

"OK…" He said nervously.

Sid looks around the area and closes his eyes and pondered about his conversation with Diego.

"I'm sorry, Diego… But the wolf is better than you in many ways; he listens, have fun and any other things he'll do with me. I'm still haunted by my memories, but our conversation helped me lift my spirits a little." He said to himself about Diego.

He sat down in the snow and looked up at the moon.

"If only I knew that wolf's name, I'd be relieved to have someone to spend time with me." Sid said to himself about the wolf.

"Hey, Sid! Let's go!" Diego shouted to the sloth.

"Oh, right! Coming!" He said as he got up and ran to the saber.

A few moments later, a crimson/jet black wolf came out of the trees and watched the sloth follow the saber.

"Heh heh heh… I knew it, he's a funny sloth. No wonder gramps is so interested in him." The wolf stated to himself.

"I am… He'll tell his 'herd' the truth about him." The old guanlong stated his appears behind the wolf.

"I don't think his 'herd' is going to listen to what he has to say." He said while worried about the sloth.

"Don't worry; they'll listen to him. Maybe in about a few years or so…" He said he turns to walk away from the wolf.

"I hope you'll stay alive, gramps." He stated about the reptile's old age.

"I'll live until the day I die." The old guanlong replied triumphantly.

"Just like what my grandpa said." The wolf joked.

**Sid's conversation with Diego is slightly truthful. But the wolf still watches over our favorite sloth. I'll make a sequel this story real soon.**

**Please review.**


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